Kashmir dispute imperils peace in South Asia

In occupied Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party headed by illegally detained Hurriyat leader, Shabbir Ahmad Shah has warned that unrealistic approach of India towards the long-pending Kashmir dispute can imperil peace and stability in the South Asian region.

The Democratic Freedom Party in a statement issued in Srinagar, today, said that India had compounded the miseries of the Kashmiri people by denying their internationally-accepted right to self- determination. The statement said that New Delhi could kill Kashmiris but it could not crush their freedom sentiment.

Meanwhile, scores of students of Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, today, staged a protest against the arrest of a B Tech student of the university. The protesting students demanded immediate release of the fellow student, identified as Tasaduk Rashid Butt. He was picked up along with his father by the Indian police on Thursday night.

Around half a dozen government teachers sustained injuries when the Indian police used brute force on protesting teachers in Srinagar, today. Many teachers were detained and lodged at Kothibagh police station in Srinagar. The teachers were protesting against the delay in the release of their salaries.

The Awami Action Committee organized a function in Srinagar to pay rich tributes to prominent Hurriyat leader, Abdul Salam Dalal on his 59th death anniversary. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on the occasion said that Abdul Salam Dalal had a great contribution to the Kashmir cause under the guidance of Maulana Yousuf Shah.

The Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, National Front, Salvation Movement and Mahaz-e-Azadi in their separate meetings and statements appealed to the international community to put pressure on India to settle the lingering Kashmir dispute, peacefully. The National Front in its statement said that illegally detained ailing Hurriyat leaders and activists languishing in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail were denied proper medical treatment.

On the other hand, senior Congress leader and former Indian minister, P Chidambaram in an article published in a New Delhi-based English newspaper said that there was an undeclared war going in occupied Kashmir. He said India is failing the test on Jammu and Kashmir. The Congress leader admitted that New Delhi’s muscular and militaristic approach to quell dissent had pushed the Valley to the brink of disaster.